RAIPUR: The Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh government has procured a record 97.97 lakh metric ton (LMT) of paddy this year from around 22 lakh farmers during the current kharif season, officials said.
The procurement has been the highest ever since Chhattisgarh became a state in 2000. However, the government still lags behind in its earlier intended target of 105 LMT. During the kharif marketing year 2020-21, the state had procured 92 LMT under the minimum support price scheme.
The paddy procurement process began on December 1 last year and continued until February 7. A week’s extension offered respite to farmers who couldn’t sell their produce due to unseasonal rains.
Around 24 lakh farmers were registered to sell paddy at the minimum support price. The state government under its Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana procures paddy at Rs 2,500 per quintal. So far Rs 19,084 crore have been disbursed as payment. “Farmers who have been given the token can sell their paddy at the procurement centres. The payment process will continue,” said Amarjeet Bhagat, food minister.